


A Difficult Child

by MessengerThief



Category: Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo, Wesper - Fandom
Genre: AU, AU kind of, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Basically if you think Jesper had an idyllic childhood run from this fic, Biphobia, Grishapobia?, M/M, What if Jesper's father hadn't turned up in Crooked Kingdoms and what if he wasn't so nice?, outside pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 12:12:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8013262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MessengerThief/pseuds/MessengerThief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little look at Jesper's early life then his relationship with Wylan from his father POV.</p><p>(Which is now not cannon compliant at all with the arrival of the second book)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Difficult Child

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspiration for this fic suddenly, without warning, without my copy of the book at hand and it's been a while since I read it... Excellent writing conditions! So there might be small plot points that aren't consistent.

There were many things Jesper’s father just didn’t want to know about is son. He was a simple man with a love of farming who only wanted a quiet life. Jesper seemed to do everything possible to upset the tranquillity that was as cultivated by the farmer as the fertile fields. 

Mr Fahey loved his son of course. Unconditionally. The act of raising Jesper had meant that many times Mr Fahey had had to put aside his love of peace to stand by his son and there could be no doubt about what he prised more. But still, it hadn’t been easy. Jesper had been a born trouble maker and was endlessly destructive. There seemed to be no limit to his mischief. He frequently broke things as a small child just to annoy his parents. That’s how he’d found out about Jesper’s talents. His… gift. It came to a point where Jesper would break things just to put them back together. Maybe that was what he’d be trying to do all along.

It felt wrong watching Jesper place broken pieces together and see them fuse along the seams until they were whole again. It was unnatural. Not knowing what else to do they put in place strict rules. Being a Grisha could be dangerous. Jesper was never to use his powers outside the house. He was never to tell someone about his powers. He was never to use them when a door or window was open. He was always to check that no one was around when using them. 

Eventually it got to a point where Jesper was scared to use them and Mr Fahey couldn’t help but be relieved, thought he hated himself a little for it. The guilt from repressing his son was what made him teach Jesper how to shoot younger than he probably should have. He needed an outlet for all his pent up energy. By the time he was 10 Jesper could shoot birds out of the sky from his bedroom window and rabbits from across a field. That attracted attention that wasn’t wanted but Mr Fahey found himself for the first time in his life not caring as it seemed Jesper had given up fixing things in that special way of his. Unless of course Jesper’s talent extended to shooting, giving him an unfair advantage.

As Jesper grew older other differences were noted. He was popular, smart enough, good looking, friendly and oddly charming. His parents knew it wouldn’t be long before girls were getting taken to the old hay shed for things they didn’t want to think about but unfortunately had to teach Jesper. He sat through the very awkward conversation when he was 14 at the kitchen table not saying anything until the very end where he asked a question neither of them were expecting: “How does it work with boys?” Unable to answer properly they told him that he would have to work that out for himself. Over the next few years many girls and boys were taken shamelessly back to the old hay shed but also invited over for dinner. Not that there was anything wrong with it but Mr Fahey couldn’t shake the feeling it should be one or the other; he was old fashioned that way. 

It was the year before he went away to university that things came to a head. Mr Fahey coming in the house to get a drink of water caught him in the act. Not sex, no, he was using his powers to fix a gun right there, in the kitchen. He didn’t even stop as his father came in, the metal contorting in Jesper’s hand.

“What the hell are you doing?” Mr Fahey almost shouted at him.

“Broke the barrel,” Jesper said nonchalantly.

“Stop it!” His father grabbed the gun from his hand. Mr Fahey was a short but stout man while Jesper had shot up like a weed the year before; he frequently hit his head on ceilings and doorways. Jesper towered over his father as shocked changed to anger when he realised what exactly Mr Fahey disapproved of.

He was frustratingly unruly, a Grisha, a sharpshooting protégé and overtly bisexual. One Mr Fahey could have coped with but he feared his parenting abilities didn’t extend to cover all four. Jesper was in short a handful, seemingly oblivious to the fact he worried his parents senseless. And now he was flaunting his creepy ability in the family home.

“But I’ve followed all the rules!”

“Anyone could have come in! And after all this time not using it-” 

“I use it all the time! Why do think nothing ever breaks around here?” 

“You… You expose yourself like that?! You’re putting this entire family at risk!” 

“No one attacks Grishas here, not in this day and age!” 

“I don’t want you using it ever again, you hear me? You are going to stop cheating at shooting, you are going to do as you’re told and no more running around with whoever takes your fancy that week!” 

Jesper’s anger was beyond words. He was being blamed for things he couldn’t control or didn’t know he was supposed to. His father, a man he’d looked up to his whole life because he accepted him without question, thought he was a cheat and a slut. 

Mr Fahey knew he was being harsh, too harsh. But Jesper attracted attention by simply being himself. It was like he didn’t know that he had to blend, appear normal to avoid anyone finding out about his powers and all the disasters that would bring. He needed to learn. 

Jesper’s grades improved. That was the only good thing that could be said about the time before going to university. Before Jesper would have been happy getting into a local college or even getting a farm of his own. Maybe move into town. Maybe keep working for his dad for a while. Maybe he could make a career out of his gun slinging. That point being he didn’t have a plan. He was happy to leave it all up to chance. Now he wanted away. He wanted cities and distance and adventure and to find someone who didn’t judge him for being himself. That meant getting into a good university which he was willing to work hard for.

When he left Mr Fahey felt a little relieved but more scared than he’d even been in his life before. Jesper and him hadn’t been on good terms in a very long time by that point but at least when he was at home he was safe. The world wasn’t kind to people like Jesper. People who stuck out in all the ways that Jesper did. 

Mr Fahey was willing to admit he hadn’t been a good father. He should have supported Jesper more, been there for him but the truth was Jesper scared him. Especially since their falling out. Jesper had developed an attitude. He’d always been blunt yet honest, now though his words were guarded and sarcastic so Mr Fahey never quite knew what he was saying. Mr Fahey felt more than ever that he didn’t really know his son and that was terrifying. With Jesper away that feeling grew. His letters home contained no meaningful information. For years Mr Fahey could only guess at the life his little boy was living. Jesper didn’t visit. Years passed.

Then something changed. Letters became longer. Questions were answered. Personality began seeping though. Names of friends were mentioned. Curt responses became long and rambling. 

"Wylan is making me write more often. He says I don’t know how lucky I am and I suppose he’s right. That probably didn’t make sense but you don’t need to know. Basically nothing’s really happening here but I know you don’t believe that. You lot managed to find things to write about and you’re on a farm so I probably could think of something to say…"

Jesper became friendly, chatty for the first time in his life though he often didn’t make any sense. Wylan was frequently mentioned, a boyfriend? Someone who knew all his tricks and could see past them definitely. He talked about home for the first time in years. 

"Appreciation is awful. Wylan said I should appreciate him more (It was a joke but I kept thinking about it) so Nina said I could cook for him because that’s what makes her love Matthias, when he cooks for her (You wouldn’t recognise them, she’s got him whipped around her magic hands, you couldn’t even tell the guy used to hunt Grisha. There’s also the fact they’re basically married that’s kinda unbelievable too but it’s mainly the cooking part.) But Nina’s heart is in her stomach but I thought it was still a good idea. So right I decided to cook and now he expects me to do it all the time and it’s horrible. Now he’s saying it’s my job because he can’t use recipe books but that never stopped him before. And I can’t stop because he loves it. Basically dad don’t ever start cooking for mum…"

Wylan was definitely a boyfriend they learned with time. Jesper talked about him in every letter. They lived together. They’d been together for years. Mr Fahey was happy that Jesper seemed to have settled down, his earlier discomfort about his son’s dating habits forgotten.

However there was a whole group of friends who all seemed to be completely inappropriate or dangerous. Jesper would casually mention how Matthias killed people like him, or Kaz was a criminal or Nina was a Grisha. Mr Fahey couldn’t understand how they all fitted together. What kind of life was his son living? 

Then one day a different letter arrived. It was short, just a sentence. A question in fact. It wasn’t the kind of letter that Jesper usually sent.

Can we come visit? It asked. There were no times or dates but without even stopping to think Mr Fahey sent an even shorter reply: Yes. Because if he was being honest with himself, which he rarely was, he missed his son more than anything. He had more regrets than any one person should have. He’d let his son down. He’d stood by Jesper when he went to shooting competitions, he’s stood by him when a neighbour didn’t like the idea of his son and Jesper being more than friends and he’d stood by Jesper when he got in trouble at school. But he still had so much to make up for. Because he’d backed Jesper up in public, yes, but he’d never really supported him behind closed doors, as Jesper knew well. This would be a second chance, a way to prove that he could be a good father.

They’d never sent another letter after Mr Fahey’s reply so they arrived without warning two months later. Wylan was not all what Mr Fahey was expecting. He was pale and freckly and looked a lot younger than Jesper. They were an odd couple. Wylan stumbled over his words as Jesper introduced him. Mr Fahey couldn’t see how Wylan from the letters and this gawky teenager were the same person. And he couldn’t see how the snarky teenage Jesper who had left had become this gently teasing young man. 

“Merchling here doesn’t know the difference between a cow and a horse.” 

“Horses are for riding, Jesper” Wylan replied rolling his eyes, “I’m not a total idiot.”

“Ah but you are,” Jesper laughed, “What kind of horses did you ride growing up again, little prince-y?” 

Wylan listed a few names, not realising they were some of the most expensive animals money could buy. Mr Fahey couldn’t get his head around it. Around any of it. Nothing seemed to fit. Why was Wylan so rich? Why did Jesper never call Wylan by his name? How did Wylan mange to get Jesper to write home when he seemed so passive? When had they stared dating? Wylan had been appearing in Jesper’s letters for at least four years yet didn’t look more than 19. Mr Fahey didn’t want to think about what that could mean. What was Jesper’s job? Did even have one? How did they end up with such an abundance of misfit friends? And most importantly did Wylan know about Jesper’s secret? 

A week after they arrived Mr Fahey walked into the kitchen and a feeling of déjà vu hit him. Jasper was sitting in the same place fixing the same gun as all those years before. This time though Wylan was sitting next to him carving something onto a template with a knife, completely oblivious to Mr Fahey’s arrival. Jesper had noticed. He’d stopped what he was doing.

“I… I thought… It was broken. The barrel was loose.” Jesper seemed almost to be apologising.

“Huh?,” Wylan said, his attention coming to fix totally on Jesper, “Jes, can you sharpen this for me?” Jesper nervously took knife from the boy and with a glance at his father began to simply stare at the blade. Wylan still hadn’t noticed the old farmer in the standing silently in the doorway.

“Here you go,” Jesper whispered, handing it back. Mr Fahey realised that Wylan knew, and didn’t care. The teenager’s brows crumpled together in concern as he took in the young man's face. Jesper looked scared and was being quiet. Wylan could read his son's emotions with a glance. 

“What’s wrong?!” Wylan asked putting a comforting hand on his love’s arm, “What’s the matter?” Jesper gestured to where his father stood by the door. Wylan gasped but recovered quickly.

“Sorry Mr Fahey, didn’t see you there. What are, erm, you doing here?! 

“It’s my kitchen.” 

“Right, so I think we’ll, erm, go, erm, somewhere.” He began to pull Jesper to his feet. Protecting him, looking after him. Mr Fahey was begin to see how they worked as a couple, love and acceptance. Not things he was good at. 

“No, no stay.” This was his chance. Mr Fahey was finally going to show that he not only loved but also accepted his son, all of his son. “If you want to… If you want to fix the gun I wouldn’t mind.”


End file.
